You Can't Teach an Old Dog New Tricks
by iWuV2ndBreAkFaSt
Summary: Inuyasha is determined to FINALLY tell Kagome how he feels about her... but can he do it? Can he learn to admit he needs help to do it! Please RR!
1. Back to the future!

**You Can't Teach an Old Dog New Tricks**

_written by: K.M.T._

CHAPTER ONE

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha.... uh, derp!**_

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"Kagome! Kagome!"

"What? What is it, Shippo?"

The small fox demon sat up in bed besides Kagome, panting. His eyes filled with tears, his face dripped with sweat, and Kagome guessed what had happened, "A nightmare?" she asked. The boy nodded. "It's okay, Shippo. Everything's fine," Kagome tried to reassure him, but little Shippo still cried.

"What's all the ruckus?" Inuyasha said in a half sleepy half angry tone. He had heard Shippo's crying just when he was finally about to fall asleep in the next room.

"I—had—a—a—a—bad—d—d—dream!" Shippo sobbed.

"Shut-up!"

"Inuyasha!" Kagome harshly whispered,"Nightmares can be very frightening for young children like Shippo!"

"_Tshh_, whatever." Inuyasha caught the angry glare of Kagome; he sighed, "Shippo, listen, it's just a dream.... Now... go to bed."

"Do you wanna talk about it, Shippo? Hmm?" Kagome said in a sweet mother-like voice. She wiped the tears from Shippo's face with her sleeve, "Go on and tell us."

Shippo shook his head.

"No?" asked Kagome, "Well, that's okay... do you wanna try to fall asleep now?"

Shippo nodded.

" 'kay, I'll stay awake until you fall asleep... I won't let anything happen to you."

Shippo smiled weakly,"Inuyasha, will you look after me, too?"

Inuyasha looked at Shippo with a harsh expression, but dropped the attitude when he saw Kagome's saddened face, "Yeah, sure...fine." He walked over and sat besides Kagome, "Just hurry up and fall asleep." Kagome smiled at him, and he could tell that he did good. He always tried to, even though he normally failed. It was hard to not show any sign of weakness and be the good guy at the same time; but if it meant a smile on Kagome's face, he tried his best.

Shippo giggled quietly.

"What's so funny, runt?" Inuyasha questioned.

Shippo yawned, "You two looking after me.... it reminds me of my mom and dad... they looked after me when I had nightmares...they..." the little demon fell asleep.

Kagome and Inuyasha sat besides each other silent for several minutes. Kagome smiled down at the peaceful Shippo, but Inuyasha's attention was on Kagome. He always felt this weird combination of both unsettled and easy feelings. It felt so right to be near to her, but his stomach was upset, as if being around her... alone with her... it made him sick.

"Inuyasha?"

"Huh? Oh... what?"

"He's asleep now... you can go back to bed."

"Oh, right," he scratched the back of his ear, "Er, good-night then."

"Good-night, Inuyasha," she paused, "Inuyasha?"

He stopped at the doorway, "What?"

"Thanks."

Inuyasha left.

Kagome crawled back underneath the sheets next to Shippo. She stared at the ceiling, wondering if Shippo was now dreaming of something friendlier. She thought that the next time she returned to her era, she would buy him some chocolate covered raisins... he hadn't tried those yet. Of course she would have to make sure to buy Inuyasha his own, so that the two wouldn't fight. Inuyasha... such an immature half-demon... so childish... so violent and rude... so hot tempered... so... beautiful. Kagome sighed... and so stubborn.

She had told him how she felt; she had breathed those three words: I love you... but the bastard had yet to say them to her. Inuyasha... he had to love her too, right? Well... he kissed her once... or did she kiss him? Well he kissed her back, so it's all the same.... right? Right... Why couldn't Inuyasha learn to just come out and say it. I love you, it's not _that_ hard. Why couldn't he be a little more like Miroku? Well... maybe it was for the best. But then again, Sango and Miroku have had more romance than her and Inuyasha... "It's way too complicated and way too late," Kagome muttered to herself as she drifted to sleep.

After Miroku had convinced the villagers that the "ominous cloud" was well gone, the group continued on their journey back to the well, where Kagome could return home in time for her little brother, Souta's birthday. Souta had asked Kagome to invite Inuyasha, but the half-demon had yet to clarify whether or not he would come. Kagome ensured him that there would be cake, hoping it would sweeten the deal.

Inuyasha planned to go, whether there was cake or not. He just didn't want the others to know that he was willing and happy to do so.

When they reached their destination, Kagome was surprised and glad to see Inuyasha climbing into the well and offering his hand to help her into the portal. She took his hand, and the two were transported to the future.

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A/N: So concludes the very first chapter of my very first fanfic! _Squee!_ Thanks a lot for reading! Please, please, please, pleeeeeeaaassee review! Comments, criticism, praise... it's all good!


	2. Birthday boy's queston

**You Can't Teach an Old Dog New Tricks**

_written by: K.M.T._

CHAPTER 2

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha.... uh, derp!**_

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Inuyasha stared as Kagome and her mother and grandfather sang to Souta. "Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you!" He hadn't a clue of what exactly was going on. Why didn't they care that the cake was on fire? And how did they conveniently know the words to this song?

"Blow the candles out, Souta!" Kagome's mother chimed.

"Don't forget to make a wish!" warned Kagome.

Souta closed his eyes, and extinguished the flames, "Can I open my presents now, Mom?" the birthday boy grinned. His mother nodded and Souta retrieved the gift nearest to him on the table.

Kagome grabbed Inuyasha by the arm, and led him to a seat on the table besides her and Souta. Inuyasha sat and watched curiously as the boy tore open a bright colored box, and pulled out an odd squarish thing, "Wow!" he exclaimed, "A new gameboy game! Sweet! Thanks, Mom!"

The presents continued to confuse Inuyasha more and more, and the only thing he was able to recognize was a pair of socks. Kagome's mother soon served everyone a slice of cake, and this stuff that Kagome said was "ice cream."

"It's chocolate flavor," she said, "It's cold and sweet... I promise you'll like it."

Inuyasha _did_ like it... at least enough to ask for several seconds of it.

As Inuyasha finished his fourth plate of cake and ice cream, Souta thanked him over and over for coming, "You didn't have to come, you know? But you did, and even Kagome told me that you might be too busy or stuff, but you came anyway! I was totally surprised that you came, 'cause I thought for sure that you wouldn't and..."

The half-demon wished the kid wouldn't rub it in so much; he made it look like a big deal, and like he cared. Kagome told Souta to go try out his new video game, and saved Inuyasha from further embarrassment.

Kagome helped her mother clean off the dishes. Inuyasha walked about the kitchen studying the strange devices of the future.

"I know you've heard enough of it from Souta," began Kagome's mother, "But thank you for joining us tonight, Inuyasha. It meant a lot to my son."

"Yeah... well... it wasn't like I had anything else to do," said Inuyasha, "I can't find any jewel shards without Kagome." Inuyasha saw from the corner of his eye that Kagome was smiling at him as she dried a dish, and he could feel his face turning slightly red.

"Well," Kagome's mother continued, "I hope that you two _will_ be careful when you return to the feudal era... You look after my daughter, Inuyasha, okay?"

Inuyasha smiled weakly, "Yeah...okay."

"Don't worry, Ma," said Kagome,"Inuyasha's as strong as ever. He's become handier by the day with his Tetsaiga. We'll be just fine."

Inuyasha preferred that Kagome wouldn't say nice things about him like that. It made him him feel... he didn't really know what he felt. But it reminded him of how it felt when he held Kikyou in his arms... and then how it felt when she pinned him to that tree...

"Inuyasha?" Kagome said in a slightly worried voice.

"Hm? What?"

"You look... sleepy... Are you tired?"

"Oh!" exclaimed Kagome's mother,"Go on, Inuyasha, I prepared a guest room for you. It's the one next to Souta's room, you know which one I'm talking about, right? Go on, and go to bed, Inuyasha. It _is_ late."

Inuyasha wasn't very tired, but he thought it best not to argue. So he went to lie down and try to fall asleep. He lied on his back and closed his eyes, but opened them when he felt something soft and furry at his feet. He looked down, "Oh, it's you, Buyo..." he said.

Kagome's cat Buyo sat at the foot of Inuyasha's bed and meowed.

"There you are, Buyo," said Souta who had just entered the room, "Come on, Buyo. It's bed time." Souta lifted the fat cat and began to leave the room, but stopped at the doorway, "Hey, Inuyasha...?"

"What?"

"Can I ask you something?"

"Hm? What?"

"Well.... you don't have to answer it if you don't want to... I mean, I totally understand it if you don't want to say anything, but—"

"Stop beating around the bush, kid!"

"Er... right! So, uh... Do you like my sister?"

"...eh..."

"I mean do you _like_ her, you know?"

"_Tshh_, what are you getting at?"

"Well, I was just thinking it would be great if you two could get married and then we would be brothers! That would be awesome!"

Inuyasha felt himself turning red again, "Uh..." he felt angry that the brat was putting him on the spot like this... he could feel the rage building up inside of him... he exploded: "HEY! WHO DO YOU THINK YOU _ARE_, PAL?!"

"Souta?" came Kagome's voice from behind. She stood behind Souta frowning down at him, "Hey, it's way past your bedtime. It's way too late even on your birthday."

"...right," Souta said retreating back to his room with Buyo.

Kagome turned to Inuyasha, who was trying to act calm and casual, "Hey," she said approaching him, "What was that all about?"

"What was _what_ all about?"

"You were yelling at him... what was that for?"

"Keh... nothing."

"....'kay..." she sighed, "Well, good-night, Inuyasha."

"....wait."

"Huh?"

"... nevermind.... good-night."

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A/N: So that's chapter 2... yea sorry about the shortness, but... yeah... I'll try to make 'em longer in the future, 'kay? OK! So, thanks again for reading, and pretty please with sugar on top review!!


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